Lock for liquid dispensing devices



March 30, 1954 G- J. CORMIER LOOK FOR LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICES Filed Sept. 8, 1950 Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,673,569 LOOK FOR LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICES George J. Cormier, Fitchburg, Mass. Application September 8, 1950, Serial No. 183,770

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to a novel and improved lock for liquid dispensing devices, and more particularly to a locking mechanism especially designed for incorporation in a manually operated nozzle unit formed with a valve assembly between the intake and delivery ends thereof to control the flow of fuel therethrough.

In the present day gasoline and oil dispensing, it is customary to pump the liquid into the various tanks or receptacles through nozzle units attached directly to the pump shaft or drum or to a hose connected thereto. Such units are generally in the form of a single casting containing a standard valve construction therein which is conveniently opened and closed by manual pressure applied to a hand lever secured to the valve stem. This has proved to be a most satisfactory arrangement, and particularly efficient from an operators standpoint, as the flow and stoppage of the fuel may simply and automatically be controlled from the dispensing point.

When the fuel to be dispensed, however, is especially costly, such as oil, gasoline, and the like, it is most important to protect the same from theft or waste by having some practical means to lock the dispensing unit when the same is not in use, and it is the prime object of my invention, therefore, to provide a novel, inexpensive, simple, and efficient mechanism to effect such locking means.

In carrying out my invention, I find that a boss or some similar enlargement may readily be formed on the nozzle or valve casting and appropriately bored at right angles to and interconnecting with the valve stem bore, thus affording an ideal opening for the housing of my novel barrel-type lock constructed with a small lug or element on the inner end thereof, which lug is adapted to project beneath the under surface of a special collar on the valve stem. As thus positioned, the lug is easily rotated by the mere turning of a key in the lock, thereby controlling the vertical position of the valve stem in relation to the valve so that an infallible, positive, and efl'icient locking arrangement is afforded.

Further objects, features, and details of cnstruction will be hereinafter more fully pointed out in the accompanying description and more clearly defined in the appended claim.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein I show a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the valve on an enlarged scale on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the valve;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the valve stem and valve mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the lock and valve stem, in locking position.

In the drawings, I have illustrated my novel invention as incorporated in a preferred type of valve casting, indicated generally at IU, formed of any suitable metal such as bronze, brass, aluminum or the like, and having an intake end ll, appropriately threaded at 2 for attachment to any drum, hose, or fuel supply source and provided with a central opening I4, and a delivery end l5 at substantially right angles thereto and forming a nozzle with a dispensing opening l6. Intermediate said openings M and I6 is a valve chamber ll arranged angularly between the intake II and delivery end It a valve seat l8 against which a plastic, fibre, or rubber washer H! of a valve 20 is adapted to seat.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the valve 20 is formed with an upstanding externally threaded and centrally bored stud portion 2|, on which said washer I9 is assembled and locking nut 22, and on its base, with a depending nut portion 23, against which one end of an expansible coiled spring 25 is adapted to seat. The lower end of said spring 25 is disposed under compression against the inner face of a removable cap 26, which is suitably threaded for attachment to the threaded portion in the casting In.

From the outer wall of the casting I0 in opposing alignment to the valve chamber I1 and, hence, *angularly in relation to the intake and delivery end I5, I prefer to bore an opening 29 of slightly greater diameter than that of a valve,

stem 30 adapted then counterbore 32 to slidably hold 30, the bottom of a stop or seating surface for the collar 3|. The valve stem 30 is of appropriate diameter so that the lower end thereof fits loosely into the bored opening in the stud portion 2| of said valve 20,

to slide freely therethru, and a substantially larger opening a collar 3| formed on saidstem while the upper end 34 thereof is secured in a co-' operating recess handle is pivoted casing ill at 38.

To provide an efiective housing for my look, I prefer to form a boss 40 on the casting Hl having a central bore 42 as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, extending into said opening 32 at right angles thereto and of suitable diameter to receive the inner reduced portion 43 of a barrel lock 44, which may be readily swaged or otherwise secured in the counterbore 4|, also shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2', drilled in the outer portion of said boss 40.

As a locking element adapted to project for- 35 in a hand lever 36, which to an upstanding ear 3'! on the and formed with secured by a said opening 32 functioning as:

wardly from the end of the portion 43 and beyond the outer marginal edge of the shoulder 3|, I have provided a small lug 45 which is rotatable by a key 46 turned in the lock 44, thus controlling the vertical movement of the valve stem 30.

In locked position, the lug 45 will be positioned as shown in heavy lines in Fig. 4 and will retain the valve stem 30 and collar 3| as shown in Fig. 1; whereas by. turning the key, the lug will rotate to a positionshow-n in dotted lines at 45 in Fig. 4, which of course will permit the opening of the valve 20 by downward pressure exerted on the handle 36. If desired, I may elect to drive a small pin 41, or the like, thru the casting I and into the opening 42 the lateral motion of the lug 45 and, thus, prevent complete rotation of the same.

In utilizing my novel unit, the intake end H is threaded into a correspondingly threaded fixture. on any. desired fuel source, thereby permitting the liquid to flow through the opening [4 intothe valve chamber l! where it is checked by he valv 0. valve seat I8 by. the action of the spring 25. The valveZO will remaincloseol until downward pressure is exerted thereon by the valve stern n36, thus opening the valve 20 and permitting the liquid to pass into the delivery endopening l6 and thence into the receptacle to be filled. Such downward pressure is readily applied by the action on the stem 30, of the handle 36 connected at one end thereof.

As thus arranged, a satisfactory fuel dispenser is presented but with no provision against theft or leakage if the same is leftunattended.

And inasmuch as the slightest pressure on the handle 36 will cause the valve 20 to open, it is important to have a positive locking means to prevent movement of the valve stem 30 in the direction of the valve 26; and it is equally important to have a locking mechanism which will in no way interfere with the dispensing of the fuel when the same is being effected.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that I have devised such an efiicient locking construction and one that is mechanically simple and inexpensive to produce. As shown, I prefer to employ a barrel lock 44 disposed in the unit at right. angles to the valve stem 30, said lock being formed with a lug 45 on the inner end thereof which is adapted to be moved into looking or unlocking position by the turning of the key 46. in thelock 44. To cooperate with the lug 45, I provide the collar 3| on the valve stem 30, and counterbore therecess 32 for the collar to freely slide in, When the operator desires to lock the unit, hev merely turns the key in a clockwise direction until the lug 45 strikes the stop 41, thus automatically projecting the lug 45 to a position beneath the marginal edge of the collar 3| and creating apositive lock against any downward pressure on the handle 3 6.

Conversely, when the operator desires to restore the unit to operative condition, he merely to provide a stop..48 rto.limitand held tightly closed against the.

turns the key in a counter-clockwise direction until the lug strikes the stop 41, thus automatically removing the lug 45 out of contact with the collar 31. Thereupon said collar may be forced to slide downwardly against the tension of the spring 25 until it seats at the base of the counterbore 32 by downward pressure on the handle 36, thereby causing the valve 20 to open and the liquid to flow freely therethrough, as long as the handle 36 is held downwardly.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby as it, is. apparent that my locking construction may be applied to divers uses without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined in theappended claim.

I claim:

Aliquid dispensing fitting of the kind described, comprising a casting having a hollow intake portion and a hollow. delivery nozzle portion substantially at right angles to each other, and a valve chamber positioned intermediate said portions. with an opening into. each portion, a valve seat and a valve in said chamber to arrest flow to the delivery nozzle, a coiled spring fitting in said intermediate valve chamber and normally holding the valve on its seat, said casting being formed with an opening through thewall of the delivery nozzle and an enlarged cylindrical recess at the outer surface in alignmentv with said opening and the intermediate chamber, a stem attached to the valve opposite said spring and slidably extending through said opening and carrying a cylindrical collar adapted to closely-slide in said enlarged recess, a boss formed on the outer surface of said casting adjacent said enlarged recess and fitted with a pivoted handle extending in alignment with the outer end of said stem and engaging the same, said casting having a lateral lock-receiving opening from the exterior into said enlarged recess, a barrel lock fitted within said opening and carrying a lug projecting from its inner end and into the enlarged recess under said collar and engaging the collar in a locking position when the valve rotation of said barrel lock acting to withdraw the lug from looking position and permitting the collar to closely slide in said enlarged recess and to open said valve against the tension of the coiled spring by pressure on the pivoted handle.

GEORGE J. CORMIER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS is closed, partial 

